Food As Medicine
Y'all! Check. Out. This. Smoothie. Is it not the prettiest, most vibrant smoothie you've ever seen?! It's really something. And you know what? It tastes pretty dang good as well. I've never been much of a fan of beets--I kind of feel like I'm eating dirt when I eat them. But this is different. This smoothie has flax seeds, beets, a banana, kale, strawberries, almond butter, house made almond milk, and vanilla protein. Where might you find it?! Well... you could make your own, but I'd recommend you leave this one to the awesome staff at Nourish Cafe & Market in downtown Columbia. They're selection of foods is amazing and they always choose safer alternatives to ingredients focusing on whole foods and eliminating all the junk! You can read it right on their website, "We are obsessed with high quality ingredients, superfoods and creating delicious recipes that help our bodies thrive." That's a mission I can get behind. As you already know, I'm a huge fan of switching to safer, although until now I've mainly talked about safer alternatives for skincare and cosmetics. Today I'd like to share another way you can #switchtosafer, and that is by treating your #foodasmedicine. I'm not even joking. What you eat is often the solution (and dare I say root cause) to many illnesses and ailments. Let's take the Heart Beet smoothie for instance. Here are (just) a few benefits to the ingredients in this simple (and delectable) smoothie:
Flax seeds- Source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids (the good fats)
Beets- High in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, manganese, folate
Bananas- Potassium, folate, iron
Kale- Fiber, folate, magnesium
Strawberries- Antioxidants, vitamin C, folate, potassium, manganese, fiber, magnesium
Almond Butter- Iron, magnesium, Zinc
Food can be very healing to the body which is why it's so important to not only focus on what you're putting on your skin but also what you're putting in your body. There's so much to learn and there's always new research coming out and being developed. One place you can learn more about some of that research is at the CoMo Wellness Conference. This year's conference is on April 21st and will be held at The Crossing. The slogan for this year is "To Heal Your Mind, Start with Your Body." Wow. How powerful is that. This years keynote speakers include Dr. Kelly Brogan, Kelly Reid, PhD., and Dr. Chris Link (to learn more about each speaker click here). You won't want to miss out on hearing what they have to say. But wait. Not only are there three amazing keynote speakers, but there will also be a variety of breakout sessions offered! These topics include case studies, intro to yoga, what to eat, epigenetics, and a beginners guide to homeopathy. Personally, I'm super excited to learn more about yoga and what to eat! Seriously guys, if you have any interest in all in learning about healthier alternatives and overall wellbeing, sign up for this conference. You won't be disappointed. And... (yes ANNNNDDD), every person will leave with a pretty awesome swag bag full of samples and the opportunity to visit with many local vendors (including yours truly--representing Beautycounter-- and my awesome friends at Nourish Cafe). Please stop in and say, "hi" to us! We'd love to share more, answer your questions, and get to know you better. Hope to see you guys there!